UCB Sticks With Georgia, Placing $2 Billion Bet on State’s Life Sciences Ecosystem
By Trevor Williams, March 24, 2026 | Global Atlanta
More than 60 Belgian firms have found a home in Georgia, but nothing on this scale has yet been seen in the state. The amalgam of Belgian investment, carried out over a half-century, translates to about 5,000 current jobs. Gwinnett offered $174 million in incentives to win the project, including property tax abatements, fee waivers and utility improvements, according to Rowen.
UCB is set to bring in artificial intelligence, advanced robotics and automation at the site. Biologics are therapies made from living organisms, promising cutting-edge research and manufacturing.
Maria Thacker Goethe, president and CEO of Georgia Life Sciences, said the move gives state leaders even more impetus to work collaboratively to build Georgia’s talent pipeline “across every stage — from high school exposure and technical credentials to community college, university, and incumbent-worker upskilling.”
“UCB’s decision underscores the strength of Georgia’s talent base, manufacturing capacity, and collaborative business climate, and it reflects the kind of long-term investment that helps build a more resilient U.S. biomanufacturing footprint,” Ms. Goethe told Global Atlanta in an email.
Nine of the 16 FDA approvals for UCB drugs and therapies have come within the last three years, showing its prioritization of the U.S. market, where headcount has grown 73 percent since 2017 to 2,000 people.
UCB’s products treat severe neurological and immunological conditions like epilepsy, lupus, Parkinson’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis and many more.
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